As the summer season approaches in Arizona, so do dry conditions leading to wildfires.
Matt Pace, meteorologist with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, says the current active wildfire season will affect the air quality throughout the state.
“That can mean some air quality concerns, not only from smoke, but it can also result in ozone, as well, increasing around the entire region,” said Pace.
Pace says the department issues hourly air quality updates for the Valley, as well as a five-day forecast, so those sensitive to dust, smoke or ozone can track when to stay indoors.
“If you are sensitive to ozone, or dust, or smoke, you should, again, stay indoors as much as possible during those times when we are forecasting higher levels of a pollutant,” said Pace.
He says this holiday weekend contains no air quality advisories. But, he expects a busy June before July’s monsoon season.
